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THE HON NICOLA ROXON MP MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGEING

Media Statement - 5 November 2009

Midwives/ Nurse Practitioner Amendment

 

The Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon has today circulated an amendment the Government intends to introduce into the Health Legislation (Midwives and Nurse Practitioners) Bill and the Midwife Professional Indemnity (Commonwealth Contribution) Scheme Bill.

This amendment makes clear in the legislation something that was articulated both on introduction of the Bill to parliament and in the explanatory material tabled at that time.

Following requests for clarification, this amendment will simply clarify in legislation that collaborative arrangements with medical practitioners will be required to access the new arrangements.

The details of these requirements will be specified in subordinate legislation following the ongoing consultation with the professional groups.

These bills are a key plank of the Government’s 2009/10 Budget commitments which recognises for the first time the role of appropriately qualified and experienced midwives and nurse practitioners in our health system.

The Minister for Health and Ageing said today  “I thank the doctors, nurses and midwives for their constructive engagement to date to  ensure these new opportunities for nurses and midwives are implemented in an integrated fashion for the benefit of patients.”
For more information contact the Minister’s office on 02 6277 7220

Health Insurance Amendment ((Midwives and Nurse Practitioners) Bill 2009 – Sheet CN232:
http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;adv=yes;d... <http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;adv=yes;db=;group=;holdingType=;id=;orderBy=priority,title;page=5;query=Dataset%3AbillsCurBef%20Dataset_Phrase%3A%22amend%22;querytype=Dataset_Phrase%3Aamend;rec=16;resCount=Default_>

Midwife Professional Indemnity (Commonwealth Contribution) Scheme Bill 2009 – Sheet CN231:
http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;adv=yes;d... <http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;adv=yes;db=;group=;holdingType=;id=;orderBy=priority,title;page=6;query=Dataset%3AbillsCurBef%20Dataset_Phrase%3A%22amend%22;querytype=Dataset_Phrase%3Aamend;rec=8;resCount=Default_>

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